Gay Lee Ludwig-Bonney
Gay Lee began playing double bass at age 12, when her 7th grade music teacher steered the already 5’10” flute-hopeful toward the bass. She studied with Lawrence Hurst, Oscar Zimmerman, and Gary Karr. After earning a full scholarship to the University of Michigan, she won a seat in New Zealand’s national orchestra, the NZBC Symphony Orchestra.
On returning to the US, she was the principal bassist of the Flint (MI) Symphony Orchestra while she pursued nursing. She became a Registered Nurse with a master’s degree, working in clinical practice, management, and education. She continued to play throughout her nursing career.
Since moving to Kansas City in the early 1980s when she first joined the Kansas City Civic Orchestra, she has performed with most area community orchestras, substituted with the Kansas City Symphony, and backed touring artists including the Moody Blues, The Who, Mannheim Steamroller, and Harry Connick, Jr. Upon retiring from nursing, Gay Lee has enjoyed contributing to the outreach efforts of the KCCO.
Gay Lee is married, has three children, and seven grandchildren. Although her educational credentials are in nursing, her heart has always remained with the orchestra.